This route, which incorporates the Mormon Trail, Mormon Loop Trail, part of the National Trail, and the Geronimo Trail, serves up nine miles of mostly challenging, rock-strewn and technical singletrack perfect for the advanced rider looking to pack maximum gnar into an accessible ride of moderate length.

The Desert Classic trail is hands-down the easiest trail in the South Mountain Trail System. This ultra-popular route runs along the base of the mountains without climbing high into the hills. As a result, it's popular with beginner mountain bikers, cross country riders looking to log miles, and hikers and trail runners as well.

The Pemberton Loop, mapped here, is one of the easiest-to-follow cross-country loops in the McDowell Mountain network. This ~14-mile loop rolls through the wide-open desert terrain on smooth, fast singletrack. With only 827 feet of climbing and descending, it’s relatively flat in the grand scheme of things, but if you pay attention, it does climb gradually along the first half of the ride and then descend back to the trailhead.

Brown's Ranch Loop is one of the most logical and easy-to-follow cross country loops in the expansive McDowell Sonoran Preserve. While this loop is only 15 miles long, you can easily spend all day riding here! "Scottsdale is home to 200 plus miles of trails in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve ALONE with trails ranging from beginner through to advanced," writes outdoor blogger Leigh McAdam.

The singletrack in the Hawes Trail System offers some of the highest-acclaimed cross country mountain biking in the Phoenix Metro Area. While Hawes flies a bit under the tourist radar, with most out-of-town visitors heading to either McDowell Mountain Park or South Mountain, the locals know that Hawes is actually one of the best spots in the region!

While McDowell and South Mountain reign supreme as the most popular areas to ride a mountain bike near Phoenix, White Tank Mountain Regional Park is actually home to some of the wildest, most remote, and most challenging mountain biking in the region. The route mapped here offers a challenging but achievable loop through the White Tank Mountains.

Like Fantasy Island to the south, this trail has been made by mountain bikers, for mountain bikers. Horses aren't allowed on this trail system, although it is very popular with hikers and trail runners too. The "by mountain bikers, for mountain bikers" flavor means that there are few straight lines at FINS. "What we have here are twisty, turny, windy trails," writes WanderingJustin. "There's always something happening, and never a dull stretch of trail. Practice your 'yahoo!'"

Red Mountain Rush has become one of the most sought-after descents in the Hawes Trail System. This ripping downhill drops off the top of one of the highest ridges in the mountain range, rolling downhill along a descending ridgeline. The singletrack follows the spine of the ridge for a considerable distance. If you can pull your eyes away from the undulating rock-filled trail, you'll enjoy incredible views of the surrounding mountain and desert.

The McDowell Competitive Track is the classic singletrack trail that has long been used for the Cactus Cup race. While the trail is open for riding even when the race isn't taking place, the entrance to the trail has a posted sign warning that this track is specifically designed for high-speed riding and racing. All of these trails are one-directional, and you should expect riders to be coming through at high rates of speed. No hiking, running, or horseback riding are allowed on these trails.